Inflatable article with one-piece valve body



April 4, 1961 A. CHAKINE 2,977,973

INFLATABLE ARTICLE WITH QNE-PIECE VALVE BODY Filed Dec. 5, 195a Univ 24FIGS FIG.5

INVENTOR. Jam/V056 few/0M:

United States Patent INFLATABLE ARTICLE WITH ONE-PI'EC VALVE BODYAlexander chakine, 305 W. 72nd St., New York 23, NY. Filed Dec. 5, 1958,Ser. No. 778,479

6 Claims. (Cl. 137-223) I The present invention relates to inflatablearticles such as toys, bladders and like rubber or plastic bodies.

The invention is more particularly directed to a valve constructioncombined with or forming part of the respective body. I

It is one of the most important objects of the present erected -orprojected position for eifectuating either release of the fluid from orintroduction of said fluid via said valve structure through said openinginto said article.

It is another object of the present invention to provide meansfacilitating ready incorporation of the new valve structure in ahollowbody to be inflated and the retrac tion of the valve structure into theinterior of the body after the same has been inflated, so thatthesurface of thebody will not be disturbed by any protuberances orundesirable protrusions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means affordingready withdrawal of the valve structure from'its retracted position to aprojected position in which the same may be readily connected with any,suitable pump. device for inflation purposes.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a valvestructure made of plastic material or any suitable plastic compositionwhich maybe easily manu-Q factured through mass production methods,which is sturdy in construction and in balanced position when said valvestructure is moved from a retracted position to a projected position andvice .versa relative to the body to be inflated or deflated.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide meansconducive to a valve structure which consists of a few parts only which,however, are permanently connected to each other but may be displacedrelative to each other for opening and closing purposes.

Yet a still further object of the presentinvention is to provide meansaffording easy manipulation of the valve structure whether the same isemployed in connection with a hollow article or in connection with theend ofa hose and for controlling the fluid fiow therethrough. l

The above and other objects of the invention will become furtherapparent from thefollowing detailed descript-ion, reference. "beingmadeto the accompanyingdrawing showing preferred embodiments of theinvention.

the valve structure Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the valve of the Fig. 4as applied to an inflated article, partly shown.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the valve structure of Fig. 3 drawn ona reduced scale, with the valve plug in moperative position.

Fig. 7 shows a modified valve structure in elevation and 1n operativeposition.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the valve structure of F g. 6 inoperative position but with the plug turnedabout its longitudinal axisto twist the connecting arms thereabout.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of thevalve structure of Fig. 8 applied to aninflated article, the latter only being partly shown.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modified valvestructure seen in operative position, but not as yet collapsed.Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there 1s shown, forinstance, in Fig. 1 an inflatable ring-shaped body 10 to which a valvestructure 11 is applied, which is made in accordance with the invention.

As more clearly seen in Fig. 2, the lower flange 12 of the valvestructure 11 is heat-sealed to the body 10 of thermoplastic material,such heat-seal being designated by numerals 13, 13a. The valve body 11has further the tubular base portion 14 of relatively large diameter towhich is connected an upper tubular member 15 having an undercut portion16 for a purpose later described. The tubular member 15 may be closed atthe open end 17 by means of a plug 18 having the handle grip 19 and aplate-shaped member 20.

From the top surface of the plate-shaped member 20 extend downwardlydirected arms 21, 22 which, in this instance, are anchored at 23, 24respectively, to the tubular shaped portion 14. In the positions shownin Figs. 1 and 2, stopper or plug 18 has been inserted in opening 25 oftubular member 15 to close the valve.

Upon exerting pressure against the handle grip 19 inthe body 11 willassume a retracted position within the interior of the tubular base part14 as is more clearly seen inFig. 4.

Thus, the valve structure 11 is substantially completely located belowand with end plate 26 substantiallyflush with the outer surface of theinflatablebody 10. The arm ends 21a, 22a also become flush with theouter surface'ltta of said article as shown. If now a pulling action isexerted in the direction of arrow B on handle piece or grip 19 to suchan extent that stopper 18 is completely withdrawn from the interior oftubular part 15,

as seen in Fig. '6, air contained in inflatedbody 10 may completelyescape from said body and valve 11 is again returned to its starting orerected position by .means of armsZl, 22.

Fig. 4 shows the position of plug 18, plate 20 and grip 19 in such amanner, whereby the strap-shaped arms 21,- 22 will contact the innersurface of base. portion 14 rather linearly and slightly and come to liebetween the latter and the pushed-in tubular portion '15-, to facilitateeasy and gradual return of valve. 11 to its position as seen in Fig. 6.In accordance with Figs. 6 and 8, it is assumed that body 10 has been;inflated by any suitable hand operated pump (not shown). which. engagestubular-shaped member 15.. at its undercut 16 (whilev arms 21 and 22together with plug 13, grip 19 and plate 20- are swung in sidewarddirection about and away from anchoring points 23, 24.): Upon completionof the inflation of the article or body 10, larger tubular valve part14. will then first be com pressed by the fingers of the hand of anoperator to prevent air escape and thereafter the hand pump is removedfrom its engagement position at the undercut 16 by pulling the pumplengthwise of tubular valve part 15, where after plug 18 may be broughtinto the position as shown in Fig. 3, closing opening 25 at the end 17of sleeve-shaped portion 14.

By now turning plug 18 with plate 20 and grip 19 to assume a position asshown in Fig. 8, it will be apparent that the arms 21, 22 will assume aspiral-shaped configuration whereby the upper ends 21b, 22b of said armswill lock plug 18 in a positive tight position. The arms 21, 22 willassume positions as shown in Fig. 9 at 21b, 22b, so that substantiallyno protrusions whatsoever will be perceivable on the top surface 10a ofthe inflated body 10, as soon as the valve structure 11 is pushed infrom its projected position of Fig. 8 to its retracted position seen inFigs. 4 and 9.

Fig. 7 shows a collapsible one-piece valve body 30 having aflange-shaped base part 14a and'a substantially cylindrical-shaped toppart 15a connected to said base part 14 and provided with acircular-shaped bead 16a, which serves the same purpose as described inrespect of the undercut portion 16 of Figs. 2 and 3.

As can be further seen from Fig. 7 arms 21 and 22 extend from the topsurface a of end plate 20 and are further anchored at approximatelymidway of the height of the collapsible valve body 30 to the latter. Asshown,

plug 18 has a springy end caused by central recess 18a and is insertedinto opening 25a of the valve body to close the same. Function andresult of collapsible valve body made from rubber or any other suitableplastic or thermoplastic material is the same as that disclosed andillustrated in connection with Fig. 4.

It is of course understood that upon turning end plate 20 with'plug 18in engagement position the band-shaped arms 21, 22 may thus be twistedin a manner similar to those shown in Fig. 8 so that end plate 20 issubstantially flush with the outer surface 10a of the article as seen inFig. 10 shows a further modified valve body 40 pursuant to theinvention, somewhat similar to that of Fig. 7, but with a tapered upperend for fitting therein a conicallyshaped plug 18b having a recess 18cand laterally extending end projection or projections 41 for theengagement with depressions or groove 42 provided in the inner surfaceof valve body 40. In this case valve body 40 may be caused to completelywithdraw from opening 10b of article 10 to erected position, whereuponplug 18b may be disengaged from its seat at 41, 42 for the release ofthe fluid from within the article to deflate same.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided in accordance with thepresent invention an inflatable article having a one-piece collapsiblevalve body made of rubber or other plastic material, which ischaracterized by a flange-shaped base part of relatively large diameter,a tubular top part of relatively reduced diameter connected to said basepart, a plug insertable into said tubular top part and provided with anend plate from which said plug depends, and strap-shaped arm meansextending exteriorly of said valve body from said end plate to apredetermined location of the outer surface of said valve body andspaced from said base part, said base part being aflixed to said articleand communicating with an opening provided in said article, whereby afluid may first be introduced through said valve body into said articlefor inflating same and may be prevented by said plug from escape fromwithin said article, said top part together with said plug and said armmeans being telescopingly collapsible through said tubular base partinto the interior of said inflated article, so that said end plate ofsaid valve body comes to lie substantially flush with the outer surfaceof said article.

It is well understood, that the features disclosed in Fig. 10, such asinterengageable formations 41, 42 as well as at least one recess 180 toattain springy stopper or plug end may also be incorporated in theembodiments of Figs. 3 and 7.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that suchobvious changes and modifications be'embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A valve comprising a one-piece elongated flexible, plastic valve bodyhaving a tubular base and an upper tubular member extending from saidbase and terminating in an open end, said tubular base being of largerdiameter than said upper tubular member, so that said upper tubularmember may be telescopically received within said base, an end plateprovided with a depending plug, said depending plug being of a size suchthat when inserted into the open end of said upper tubular member itcompletely seals said open end, arm means integral with said end plateand extending therefrom to said tubular base, said end plate being oflarger diameter than said upper tubular member and being ofsubstantially the same diameter as said base, said end plate lyingsubstantially flush with said end of said tubular base remote from theconnection of said tubular base and said upper tubular member and saidplug being received in said open end in closed condition of said valve.

2. A valve comprising a one-piece elongated flexible I plastic valvebody having a tubular base and an upper tubular member extending fromsaid base and having an open end, said base being of larger diameterthan said upper tubular member, said upper tubular member being receivedwithin said base, an end plate provided with a depending plug, saiddepending plug being of a size such that when inserted into the open endof said upper tubular member it completely seals said open end, saidplug being received in said open end, arm means integral with said endplate and said tubular base, said end plate being of larger diameterthan said upper tubular member and being of substantially the samediameter as said base, said end plate lying substantially flush withsaid end of said tubular base remote from the connection of said tubularbase and said upper tubular member, said upper tubular member togetherwith said plug and said arm means being telescopingly collapsiblebetween said base and said upper tubular member when said end plate issubstantially flush with said base.

3. In a valve according to claim 1, said arm means in- I cluding twoband-shaped elements extending at opposite ed to be folded between saidupper tubular member and said base upon engagement of said plug withinsaid open end of said upper tubular member.

5. A valve according to claim 1, said plug being provided with a centralrecess at its lower end, thereby to provide a springy and compressibleportion thereon facilitating easy insertion of said plug in said openend.

6. A valve according to claim 1, said plug being conically-shaped andprovided with a recessed lower end, respective interengageable meansprovided at said lower plug end and at said open end of said uppertubular member for tight engagement of said plug in said open end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,702,732 Iden Feb. 19, 1929 2,710,622 Chupa June 14, 1955 2,848,130Iesnig Aug. l9, 1958 2,887,120 De See May 19, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS616,925 Germany Aug. s, 1935 46,151 France Dec. 23, 1935

